Apparatus and method for spraying liquid

ABSTRACT

A liquid to be sprayed and pressurized aerosol are placed in a canister. One end of a hose line is installed in the canister and the other end of the hose is connected to a spray valve which is contained within an actuator assembly. The spray valve is manually actuated by an actuator formed in the actuator assembly. A spray gun has an actuator which abuts against the actuator formed in the actuator assembly and when manually triggered actuates the spray valve to spray the liquid.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/534761 filed Jan. 8, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a system and method for spraying liquiddirectly from a relatively large canister which contains both the liquidto be sprayed and pressurized aerosol spray.

2. Description of the Related Art

In prior art devices, liquid is generally sprayed directly from arelatively small container which contains the liquid to be spayed mixedwith pressurized gas. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,587issued on Nov. 14, 2000 to Morgan. Such devices must be hand held andtherefore are limited in size. This limited size has limited capacityand in the case of a fairly extensive spraying job, numerous spray cansmust be used. This has the disadvantage of higher cost and the wastingof a certain amount of liquid left in each spray can which cannot beejected due to the lowered pressure in the can when most of the liquidhas been expelled. Also, as aerosol cans contain hazardous waste, theymust each be disposed of, and with numerous cans, this involves anadditional task.

The use of spray guns to more effectively spray the liquid inconjunction with an aerosol can has been developed in the prior art andis described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,830 issued Mar. 7, 2000 to Brown.Such devices, while they have the improved control of spraying affordedby the spray gun, still have the disadvantages of the use of normalaerosol cans which are attached to the gun. In the '830 patent, inconnection with FIG. 6 thereof, a hose is utilized to bring the liquidto be sprayed to the gun, but the spraying is still effected by anaerosol can connected directly to the spray gun.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The system and method of the present invention overcomes theshortcomings of prior art liquid sprayers by placing the liquid to besprayed along with a pressurized spray gas such as aerosol in arelatively high volume into a relatively large canister. The liquid andpressurized gas is fed through a hose line to an aerosol valve andactuator in the vicinity of the article to be sprayed The hose iscoupled to a line connected to the aerosol valve by means of a connectordevice which while providing excellent air tight sealing cannevertheless readily be disconnected to enable replacement of the hoseor valve. A spray gun can be used to actuate the spray valve actuator.The article to be sprayed is sprayed continually until the contents ofthe canister have been exhausted. The canister has a knockout punchwhich enables the user to completely empty the canister when thespraying terminates.

The system and method of the invention has the advantage of obviatingthe need for utilizing multiple small aerosol cans which must bedisposed of as hazardous waste. Most important, with the presentinvention, the canisters employed can be re-cycled and need not bedisposed of after the initial use thereof. This provides a significanteconomic advantage. Further, the system and method of the presentinvention is much more economical, especially where a relatively largespraying job is involved. In additiona, continuous spraying is providedobviating the need to switch to additional aerosol cans when thecontents of each such can is exhausted. In addition, while an optimumair tight connection is provided between the hose and the spray valve bya connector assembly, this assembly is designed to permit readydisconnection of the hose from the valve when repair or replacement ofparts is required.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of thesystem of the invention;

FIG. 2 is side cross sectional view of the valve and coupler assembliesand their housing, of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view showing the valve and couplerassemblies of the preferred embodiment within their housing;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the valve assembly of the preferredembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the operation of thevalve of the preferred embodiment by direct manual actuation; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view illustrating the operation of thepreferred embodiment by a spray gun actuator.

Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated. Canister 11 which may have a 1-5 gallon capacity has aliquid to be sprayed contained therein along with a pressurized aerosolgas 16 mixed in the liquid, as shown through a cutaway view made forillustrative purposes in the canister. The canister is kept air tight toassure constant pressurization. The liquid-gas mixture is fed out of thecanister through disconnnectable air tight valve and coupler assembly47, to one end of hose 12. The opposite end of hose 12 is connected tospray actuator assembly 43 through air tight coupler assembly 40contained within valve housing 14, as can best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3,and 4. The valve actuator may be actuated by means of conventional spraygun 15 which is supported on the top piece 43 a of actuator assembly 43.

Spray gun 15 has an actuator (not shown) which is operated by means ofthe gun trigger 15 a to drive actuator 46 against spray valve 48 toeffect spraying of the liquid from the canister. The spray valve ismounted within actuator assembly 43. The spray actuator 46 may, in thealternative be directly actuated by one's finger, as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, the actuator assembly 43 for actuating theliquid spray and a connector assembly for removably joining the hose tothe actuator assembly are illustrated. The connector assembly has athreaded tube 45 with a nut formed at its center, a hollow clamp fitting41, which is tapered inwardly from its central portion, and a hollow nut44 which engages the threads of tube 45. The actuator assembly 43includes a circular top portion 43 a, a first tubular extension 43 b,and a second tubular extension 43 c having a smaller diameter than thefirst extension. Spray actuator 46 is installed in an aperture in thetop of the circular portion 43 a and engages the spray valve 49 mountedwithin assembly 43, the valve being resiliently upwardly to its closedposition.

The hose 42 is held in a force fitted connection to extension 43 b inthe following manner. Hose 42 is first fitted through the apertures inthreaded tube 45, clamp fitting 41, and nut 44 and installed overextension 43 c. Clamp fitting 41 is then installed within nut 44 andthreaded tube then placed within nut 44 and tightened therein. The clampfitting is thereby driven so that it clamps the hose tightly inengagement with extension 43 c. This provides an extra air tightconnection without the need for conventional clamps which generallyprevent ready disconnecting of the hose.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, thisintended by way of example and illustration only and not by way oflimitation, the spirit and scope of the invention being limited only bythe terms of the following claims.

1. A system for dispensing liquid in the form of a spray comprising acanister for containing liquid; a liquid to be sprayed contained withinsaid canister; a pressurized gas spray for driving said liquid containedwithin said canister; a valve for releasing said liquid in the form of aspray; a means for actuating said valve to release said liquid; a hoseline, one end of said hose line being connected to within said canisterto receive liquid therefrom, and means for removably connecting theother end of said hose line to said valve in an air tight manner.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said means for actuating said valve comprisesan actuator assembly surrounding said valve and including a manuallyactuable member for actuating the valve.
 3. The system of claim 1wherein said means for actuating said valve further includes a gun foractuating said manually actuable member.
 4. The system of claim 1wherein said means for removably connecting said valve to said hosecomprises an actuator assembly connected to said valve, said actuatorassembly including a top portion having a channel formed there through,a tubular extension portion fluidly coupled to said top portion andhaving a reduced diameter, said extension portion being fitted withinthe hose, a threaded tube, a nut having threads which engage the threadsof said tube, a clamp fitting having an aperture formed in the centralportion thereof, said clamp fitting having inwardly tapered portions atboth ends thereof, one of said tapered portions abutting against one endof said threaded tube, said threaded tube being rotatably tightened insaid nut against said one of said tapered portions of said clampfitting, the other of the tapered portions of said clamp fitting beingdriven against the portion of the hose in which said extension portionis fitted.
 5. The system of claim 1 and further including a housing forhousing both the actuating means and the connecting means
 6. A methodfor spraying liquid comprising the steps of: filling a canister withliquid to be sprayed and a pressurized gas for driving said liquid;connecting one end of a hose line to the interior of said canister;removably connecting the end of said hose line opposite to said one endof said hose line to a valve in an air tight manner to convey saidliquid to said valve, placing an actuator for actuating said valve inproximity to said valve; and manually actuating said valve to spray saidliquid therefrom.
 7. The method of claim 6 and further includingmounting said actuator and valve within the housing.